Is Cale Makar Returning? Avalanche Star Back on the Ice Before Crucial Game 2
Cale Makar’s return to the ice at optional practice offered a flicker of hope, but no answers, for an Avalanche team still waiting on its most important player.
The moment Cale Makar stepped onto the ice for optional practice Thursday, every eye inside Family Sports Center shifted in his direction. After missing Colorado’s Game 1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final, Makar joined teammates for the skate, offering at least a glimpse of hope for an Avalanche team suddenly searching for answers without its most important defenseman. Whether that translates into a return for Game 2 remains unclear.
“No, I don’t have an update,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Thursday. “We’ll see what tomorrow brings. ” Captain Gabe Landeskog speaks following a loss in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
Colorado trails the series 1-0 heading into Friday night at Ball Arena, and Makar’s status continues to loom over everything surrounding the Avalanche. The star defenseman is dealing with an upper-body injury believed to have originated during Colorado’s second-round series victory over the Minnesota Wild. While the Avalanche have remained guarded about specifics, his absence in Game 1 was impossible to ignore.
Without Makar controlling transitions, breaking pressure, and quarterbacking the attack from the blue line, Colorado struggled to consistently dictate pace against Vegas. The burden quickly shifted onto the rest of the defensive corps, including Sam Malinski, who logged more than 20 minutes in Wednesday’s defeat. “You obviously can’t replace Cale,” Malinski said.